An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir November / December 2025 www.military.ie/magazine Maynooth University Graduations Graduation Day is a special day for Defence Forces graduates and their families, as it formally marks the successful completion of an intense period of professional study and personal development. On 30 October 2025, 130 officers graduated from Maynooth University: • 36 members of the 100th Cadet Class graduated with a Level 7 Special Purpose Diploma in Leadership, Management and Defence Studies. • 29 members of the 12th Potential Officers Class graduated with a Level 7 Special Purpose Diploma in Leadership Management and Contemporary Security. • 45 members of the 7th and 8th Land Command and Staff Course graduated with a Level 8 Higher Diploma in Leadership, Defence and Contemporary Security. • 20 members of the 7th Joint Command and Staff Course graduated with a Level 9 Masters in Leadership, Management and Defence Studies. The Military College graduation ceremony for the 7th and 8th Land Command and Staff Courses and 7th Joint Command and Staff Course was held on the morning of 30 October 2025 at Maynooth University. The event was presided over by Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy and Dr Rory Finegan, Deputy Director, Centre for Military History and Strategic Studies, Maynooth University. In his welcome address, Dr Finegan noted that it was "a great day for Maynooth University as the educational relationship with T o meet the demands of a rapidly changing operating environment, Defence Forces personnel need to be proficient in a wide array of military skills and competencies and must have the ability to operate complicated military technology. Continuous growth and development are paramount for Defence Forces personnel to ensure they can operate effectively on land, at sea, in the air, in cyberspace, and in space in response to Government taskings. Continuous growth and development have long been a hallmark of the Defence Forces' approach to training and education. Over the past 25 years, the Defence Forces have established long-standing and valued academic relationships with higher education institutions. All career courses delivered in the Military College on the Officer Professional Military Education pathway are accredited by Maynooth University, from a Level 7 Diploma in Leadership Management and Defence Studies (LMDS) on completion of the Cadet Course, to a Level 9 Post Graduate Diploma for the Land Command and Staff Course, and Level 9 Master's for the completion of the Joint Command and Staff Course. Similarly, the Leadership Management and Defence Studies Programme for enlisted personnel is accredited by South East Technological University (SETU), ranging from Level 6 Higher Certificate to Level 7 BA in LMDS. Additionally, the Defence Forces and SETU co-deliver a variety of military-specific technical and master's programmes to meet the growing and complex academic needs of the technical corps. 14 | DEFENCE FORCES CONFERRING CEREMONIES CEREMONIES LT COL COLIN LAWLOR, DEFENCE FORCES REGISTRAR, J7 DFHQ Comdt Stephen Bunney and Lt Col Conor King (RACO Gen Secretary) Comdt Cathy Barrett and Lt Gen Rossa Mulcahy (DF COS) Cpl Abbi Stafford and Cpl Dawn Hannon

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